1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention presented herein relates to systems and the apparatus for providing the graphics for an audio plus graphics teleconferencing system and, in particular, to teleconferencing graphics apparatus using a graphics copy output device that receives electronic graphics generating signals from a remote location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Teleconferencing systems is the general term applied to systems using a variety of technology aided interactive communications between people at two or more locations. Such systems include those providing communications that fall into a number of general categories: audio; audio plus graphics; slow-scan or freeze-frame video; continuous motion or live video and computer conferencing. Audio plus graphics teleconferencing involves the transmission of a variety of graphics before and/or during an audio meeting by the use of various equipment such as facsimile equipment, telewriting equipment or an electronic blackboard.
Audio plus graphics teleconferencing arrangements that use facsimile, telewriting equipment or similar graphics hard copy output devices provide only a single copy with each transmission of electronic graphic defining signals. This does not satisfy the need in situations where a number of participants will be considering the graphics sent by such equipment. Such systems require reproduction of the copy received to make the received graphics available to each participant or the received copy must be used to produce a transparent copy for use with an overhead projector for general viewing. In addition, such systems do not provide suitable control of the graphics presentation by the presenter and do not promote spontaneity on the part of the participants. The electronic blackboard represents a much more expensive piece of equipment ruling out its use by a number of users of audio plus graphics teleconferencing.
Another audio plus graphics teleconferencing system involves the use of a slide projector that can be remotely controlled. This system, of course, requires prior physical shipment to a viewer location of the slides that the presenter at a remote location will use.